Why is the fragility of life so shocking? What was originally a promising youth tournament turned into a stage of tragedy in an instant. On this hot summer day, a heartbreaking piece of news sent the entire badminton world into grief and contemplation.
On July 1, 2024, in Jakarta, Indonesia, at the Asian Youth Badminton Championships, a 17-year-old Chinese player suddenly fell to the ground. This young man named Zhang Zhijie was originally playing for the country with high spirits, but who would have thought that he would die suddenly on the field. This sudden bad news not only shocked the audience, but also cut the hearts of countless fans who followed the event.
Zhang Zhijie, a badminton genius from Jiaxing, Zhejiang, was once a star of hope in the eyes of many people. Born in 2007, he has shown extraordinary athletic talent since he was a child. In 2023, he entered the national youth team with excellent results, which is the dream of many badminton teenagers. In his short career, Zhang Zhijie has won a number of accolades, including the 2022 National U-Series Badminton Competition U15-17 Finals Men's Singles Champion in the 15-year-old group, the 2023 National Youth Badminton Championships Group B Men's Singles Champion and Men's Team Champion, and the 2024 Dutch Youth Badminton International Men's Singles Champion.
However, fate played a cruel joke this summer. In the mixed team group stage of the 2024 Asian Youth Badminton Championships in Indonesia, Zhang Zhijie faced off against a Japanese player. When the score was tied at 11, the unexpected happened. Just as the opponent was about to serve, Zhang Zhijie suddenly fell to the ground and had convulsions. There was an uproar at the scene, and everyone didn't expect that this was the last moment of the young player's life.
According to the statement of the Asian Badminton Association and the Indonesian Badminton Association, about 30 seconds after Zhang Zhijie fell to the ground, the medical team of the event entered the stadium, and about 30 seconds later, a stretcher entered the stadium and carried him out of the court for further treatment. Zhang Zhijie "was taken to the on-call ambulance and transported to the hospital in less than two minutes," the statement said. However, all efforts failed to save this young life, and Zhang Zhijie finally passed away in the hospital at 23:20 local time on June 30.
The occurrence of this tragedy has aroused strong public concern and discussion about the safety and security of the event. Many netizens questioned the timeliness and effectiveness of the rescue measures at the scene. Some medical professionals pointed out that judging from the public on-site situation, there may be a delay in the first aid. They believe that cardiac arrest should be considered first in the case of non-contact fainting and falling to the ground in high-intensity professional competitions, and CPR (cardiopulmonary resuscitation) should be used even if the AED (external defibrillator) does not intervene in the first place.
This is reminiscent of the scene of Danish player Eriksen suddenly falling to the ground at Euro 2021. At that time, the rapid response and professional handling of the on-site rescue team successfully saved Erickson's life. In contrast, the rescue process in the Zhang Zhijie incident seems to have been less swift and effective.
This tragedy not only makes people lament the loss of a young life, but also provokes people to think deeply about the safety and security of sports events. It reminds us that the physical health and safety of athletes are of paramount importance in the pursuit of excellence. The event organizers need to further improve the emergency plan and improve the response speed and treatment capacity of the on-site medical team.
Zhang Zhijie's departure left an incurable scar in the badminton world. His dream has not yet been realized, his potential has not yet fully blossomed, so he is forever frozen at the age of 17. This tragedy also reminds us of the fragility and preciousness of life. It reminds us that both athletes and ordinary people should pay more attention to their own health conditions, have regular physical examinations, and detect and deal with potential health risks in a timely manner.
In this heartbreaking summer, we lost a future badminton star. Hopefully, Zhang's departure will serve as a cautionary tale for the sports community to pay more attention to the health and safety of athletes. The fragility of life is shocking; But the value of life should be cherished and respected. Let us remember Zhang Zhijie and this lesson, and work hard for a safer and healthier sport.
What do you think of this tragedy? What do you think should be done to strengthen the safety and security of sporting events? Feel free to share your views in the comment section.